When the Emperor sought guidance from wise men, from exiles,
He found no calmer w i sdom than that of young Chia
And assigned him the foremost council-seat at midnight,
Yet asked him about gods, instead of about people.
Original Poem:
「锦瑟」
李商隐
锦瑟无端五十弦，一弦一柱思华年。
庄生晓梦迷蝴蝶，望帝春心托杜鹃。
沧海月明珠有泪，蓝田日暖玉生烟。
此情可待成追忆，只是当时已惘然。
Interpretation:
“The inlaid harp” is one of Li Shangyin’s masterpieces. This poem is slightly obscure, with elements of symbolism and impressionistic techniques added to the traditional form of writing, using concrete and sensible objects to express abstract emotions, and sometimes there is no necessary connection between emotions and objects. When reading Li Shangyin’s poems, we are more likely to feel the similarity between the feeling given by objective objects and subjective emotions. Obviously, this poem is a reminiscence of a past emotion after the passage of time. Perhaps the person concerned is still alive, perhaps there is some unspeakable pain, the poet intends to use more allusions to make a kind of hidden, euphemistic expression.
The first part of the poem, with Jinse to rise, cause a period of unforgettable memories. Jinseo, how come there are so many strings for no reason? Each string contains the memory of “Chinese New Year”. The poet’s complaint is just an excuse for the unforgettable memories of the past and the endlessness of the bitter sentiment. The second line makes it clear that it is the “Chinese New Year” that is being recalled. The unforgettable “Chinese New Year” has what kind of excitement, what kind of shocking love, what kind of heart-rending story ah! The poet uses an abstract word to make us think.
The second part of the poem is about the feelings left by the poet in his memories and thoughts of “Chinese New Year”. Zhuangzhou dreamed that he turned into a butterfly, and when he woke up, he thought to himself blankly, not knowing whether Zhuangzhou dreamed of butterflies or butterflies dreamed of Zhuangzhou. This is a realm of illusion, fuzzy and confused. Shu emperor died, but his heart did not die, to the spring, he turned his soul into a cuckoo bird, cawing more than until he called blood dripping from his mouth. Bleak and miserable as this, and still not turning back, what kind of sentiment is so obsessed? The moon in the sky, the vastness of the sea, daiqing waves surging ups and downs, under the moonlight, open the sea mussel shells in the pearl, crystal clear, clear light flow, is the pearl light? Is it pearl light? Is it tear light? Vast, far away, white net, but also lonely and clear. Under the warm sunlight, the blue jade rises up with a fluttering smoke and mist. This is a misty but very beautiful feeling. These four lines with four allusions, contains a very rich complex and subtle connotation, in the space and time, constructed a deep and remote, magical and magnificent mood, giving a strong sense of beauty.
The third part, “this love can wait to become memories”, the poet’s brush strokes turned sharply, and back to reality, “Hua Nian” in a thrilling, heart-rending feelings, where there are dreams, blood, tears, the sea, there is the warmth of the sun, there are miserable, there is warmth! …… has a speechless ending. This kind of emotion, where need to be left to later days to remember, at that time on the despondent, seemingly endless pain and regret.
The feelings of this poem are delicate and twists and turns, the language is elegant and elegant, the battle is neat, the colours are clear, and the imagery is implied.
Poem translator:
Kiang Kanghu
About the poet:
Li Shangyin (李商隐), 813-858 AD, was a great poet of the late Tang Dynasty. His poems were on a par with those of Du Mu, and he was known as “Little Li Du”. Li Shangyin was a native of Qinyang, Jiaozuo City, Henan Province. When he was a teenager, he lost his father at the age of nine, and was called “Zheshui East and West, half a century of wandering”.
